On time appointments?
 

Is there any doctor in The Villages that schedules appointments so your waiting time is minimal? I know things can’t run exactly on time but waiting for more than an hour before you can see the doctor is unacceptable to me. Oh - and I’d appreciate a recommendation other than The Villages Health. I know they are good but they don’t take my insurance. [emoji3525]

I have not experienced the problem you describe with any doctors I use. Never had to wait anywhere close to an hour.

Ask for first appointment of the day.

There are a number of doctors in and around The Villages offering concierge services. One of the benefits they offer is on time appointments, along with same day appointments in most cases too.

The can do this because they limit the number of patients they have, which is the same thing Villages Health does.

The do charge an annual fee which is not covered by Medicare and most insurances though.

the villages concierge doctor - Google Search

The on time doctors we see in Ocala do not have a "concierge fee" (BS!).

They do stress they are on time doctors with simple rules.
Report in 15 minutes before one's appointment.

If you are late you will be charged $50 and rescheduled.

Works with no problems for either side.

In my opinion the consierge fee is a scalping of gullible villages residents willing to pay extra to doctors for that which they SHOULD BE providing as a matter of course.

TV resident demand provides fertile ground for the medical opportunists.....what was the name of the oath they took?????

I have VHS at Santa Barbara. Longest wait ever was 10 minutes for labs or Doc.

I've had good luck with SIMED across from Target on 441.

Make your appointment first in the AM, or right before lunch time, or right before closing....no wait.

DR. Apppointments
 

[QUOTE=Mary Lou;1598743]Is there any doctor in The Villages that schedules appointments so your waiting time is minimal? I know things can’t run exactly on time but waiting for more than an hour before you can see the doctor is

Hi, we moved here form out of state. In some other states, a Doctor could not survive, the reliability of some here is incredible and wrong. But if folks are going to sit there for an hour, then it will continue. We have walked out on two doctors, they were so late. So, they called us at home later, and I told them they will be within 15 minutes or we leave. so they shaped up a bit. It is incredible here for sure. No offense, but if you put up with it, they will continue. They seem to have a captive crowd and a lot of folks who will put up with it. OK, in another state, I sold our house, ready to move, the gent who bought our house, made his rounds, he "interviewed' several doctors in the area, and made it clear on his demands, he said that works. He said they will give him a no charge interview to clarify their service. Be firm and be prompt and do not let them string you out It is up to you.

:welcome:

I'll Wait
 

To those who complain of having to wait: What will be your reaction if your 'on time' doctor tells you that you will have to come back another time because other patients are waiting and he/she is going to get off schedule if he/she continues with you any longer? What if that doctor has a patient in the hospital and takes extra time? What if you are THAT patient; do you want your doctor to rush off to the office so nobody has to wait? Remember this, too, when your doctor has said you can go home and has to write your discharge orders. If several are going home the same day, it will possibly skew the office schedule.

Everyone wants the best doctors, but don't want to share. The best doctors will always be the busiest and most usually will have the furthest out appointment times and often times longer waits in the office. I am happy to have the best.

I had the misfortune of having a doctor tell me when I told him I had another question, that he didn't have time. The operative word here: HAD (a doctor).

Right. Me too. Hardly ever a wait over 10 minutes at Santa Barbara.......But try go for an eye appointment at Lake eye. One and a half hours is common. So irritating. It's like nobody has anything else to do except wait for them all day!. Very inconsiderate scheduling.

I see Dr. Delbakhsh who has offices in Summerfield and a new one in Wildwood not far from Pinellas Plaza. usually very little if any waiting. 352-435-7321 also very nice doctor and friendly staff. I, too, got frustrated with a previous dr. (the wait was only one thing though) routinely one would wait 45 minutes if one was lucky. while things do come up, it's not like the old days when these doctors made hospital rounds. I understand the occasional situation that may arise, but it's frustrating that if it happens a lot. that being said, if I felt the doctor's expertise was exceptional and worth the wait, I would certainly do it.

I become very embarrassed if I’m late for an appointment. If a doctor has an emergency or any other delay, the very LEAST they could do is call me immediately.

This is not an area where I have a lot of patience.

Go to St. Luke. Flawless!

I have had the exact experience as you in both places. Try being a little late at Lake Eye on a day when they are running like a swiss watch, they were ruthless with a very nice lady who was late because she was moving sorta slow like me. They were going to send her home. My wife gave the lady her time slot and we just came back another day. Rough being married to an angel. My appointment that day was on the money.

Santa Barbara is the best. They really have their act together.

Everyone wants the best doctors, but don't want to share. The best doctors will always be the busiest and most usually will have the furthest out appointment times and often times longer waits in the office. I am happy to have the best.

Agreed. I'll wait awhile for a good doctor but I'll wait even longer for a great doctor. Just make sure you find one that works best for you.

I always get the first appoint of the day or the first after lunch.It prevents the Domino effect

that's when the 3-4 people in front of you show up 5-10 late.

Consider outside the bubble. The cross section of patients is very different. I personally find the doctor's attitudes are very different as well.

Your Dr's apt time is only a mere suggestion as to what time you may actually be seen. Many times I just leave and no one notices .

I always request either the first appointment of the day or the first after the lunch break but often still have to wait. I understand that doctors have to juggle their schedules for emergencies, but here is what bothers me. If you are 5 minutes late for an appointment and the Doctor is ready to see you, your appointment is cancelled and you get charged anyways. If you are early but the Doctor is not ready, you might have to wait an hour or much longer and then the Doctor will hurry your appointment because they are running behind. Apparently your time and health care is not really what is valued?

I don't know that this problem is unique to The Villages. I experienced up north as well.

I had an orthopedic surgeon that was always an hour behind so when I made my next appointment I asked to be the first one in the morning. When i arrived for that appointment, I was told that he was an hour behind. I asked how that could be and was told that he was tied up. I happened to look over the counter at the appointment book to see that they had booked three patients in every 15 minute slot. I told them to cancel my appointment and that I wouldn't be back. They told me that I would be charged for the appointment as a no show and my insurance wouldn't cover it. I told them that I showed and the doctor didn't and walked out.

I never heard from them or my insurance company.

One of the problems is that many of these practices are not owned by doctors. They are by investors that only care about the bottom line. They force doctors to do things like this.

As you state, it's understandable that they can't run perfectly on time, but to be overbooking like that is inexcusable.

I've been happy with Premier Medical. The waits have been tolerable and I like my doctor there.

I think part of the problem is that at least for regular Medicare doc's have to process 4 or 5 patients an hour to keep their shop running and make and cover their own pay. If they scheduled a just single patient in each 15min slot I doubt that in practice they would even come close to that rate.

I have to admit... that's why I like The Villages Health. I've never waited more than 10 minutes for my appointment. I believe my doctor has a 30 min. time slot for me... so I am never rushed. My doctor is exceptional. If I have an issue and need to get in - I see a PA same day. I'm very pleased.

We were in TV Health System until we left for Medicare reasons. It was a pleasure going to appointments in an unhurried, on-time and comfortable environment, with two ladies handling check-ins, and another desk taking care of checkouts.

Now the practice we go to runs on time, more or less, but we spend much less time with the physician. What amazes me is that there is only one very busy person at the front doing everything: check-ins, check-outs, scheduling followup lab work and doctor appointments, and even filling out prescriptions in some cases. I hope they pay her well.

My doctors have always had their staff let us know if there is a delay. The doctor cannot call each patient before rushing off to an emergency.

My doctors do make hospital rounds.

Sometimes that 1st appt of the day can really bite you in the a$$. I had to go to Florida Cancer Specialists for 10 weeks and made every appt for 1st thing since I still had to get to work afterwards. They always got me right back, hooked my IV up real quick, and there I would sit until a doctor arrived at the office. They can’t start the drip until a doctor is on site. I would have been better off sleeping in and come in when the doctors are already there. I understand that sometimes the doctor goes to the hospital 1st or gets stuck on the phone with a patient. But I also work in a doctors office and am aware that it can also simply be that - they get there when they get there.

Fair? Fair is in the eye of the beholder
 

Truth, in my life I've only been late for a doctor's appointment, probably true of any appointment and that was recently in THE VILLAGES. We called the doctor's office and told them the TRUTH that our golf cart was broken down on the road. Only in the villages.

Here most people are on Medicare. What the doctor can charge is controlled by Medicare. Medicare figures 15 minutes to see a patient. You've said hello-you used up half the time the doctor can spend with you.

Far as waiting. I know I've waited over an hour. Take a book with you. For me the simple human act of the doctor saying sorry about keeping you waiting so long but...................
Is a major plus-MUTUAL RESPECT.

Gas or electric?

Schedule in July...LOL And people want Medicare for all. Just wait if you think wait time is long now and the upcoming shortage of doctors that will result. Crazy. If you want quick and efficient appointments you will have to pay a premium. (Concierge service) JMHO. There is a reason why Villages Health dropped basic Medicare. Just saying

You may want to get your own personal physician.

I use the University of Fl. for Dental in Gainsville. For orthopedic I use the UF office on 10435 SE 107 Pl Summerville 352-233 4393. Heart valve repair we use Dr. Arias (UF) in Orlando, for lung problems we use Dr Haim in Orlando. He is not with the UF but was recommended by the UF. He's outstanding. The Villages won't accept our ins. and it's just as well. If I don't like a Dr. I'm free to go to specialists I want and not one they want me to use. I also will not wait for over an hr. for any Dr. plus with the UF if they feel it necessary they send you to another specialist and don't run you around in circles just to rape your ins. I have no faith in the Drs. around here. As far as a GP I really can't recommend one here. If I have a problem I make an appt. with the UF. I have horror stories to tell about the Drs. around here. The UF is a bit of a drive but well worth the expertise you get.

For Cancer I use Moffitt in Tampa. I can't say enough good things about them. We had a Dr. in this area that told my husband he had stage 3 cancer and had a yr and a half to live with his treatment. This was all from one xray. ???? You can't diagnose ca with only 1 xray!!!! I made an appt with Moffitt. He went to them for 2 yrs and finally after turning him inside out they told him he never had cancer and released him. That was over 3 yrs ago. I now research everything they say, every med he takes and every Dr we go to. Do your homework!!! Trust NO ONE!

Be thankful you are not the one causing the delay. If you can't wait leave that will make the people after you get to see the doctor sooner. If it was the other way around and you needed the doctors attention I guess it would be a totally different story. Be glad your not.

As a nurse who has worked in several Dr. offices, I would first ask if you like and trust the Dr. If so, take a book and schedule accordingly. It does help to be the first patient of the day. If you don't like the Dr. or the way the office is run, fire them and then tell them why. They can't fix something that they don't know about. Each day has it's challenges, be it surgeries, patients with many problems to discuss, comforting a patient who has just received an upsetting diagnosis.... The list goes on and on. You may be the next person that the Dr. needs to spend extra time with. This also applies to waiting for the Dr. (nurse) to return your call. Please remember to ask all of your questions when you first call so the nurse can get all the answers the first time she/he discusses your situation with the Dr. You may want to write out your questions before calling so you don't forget to include all pertinent information. Good luck!

Ohiobuckeye
 

Well, we have a very good Dr. but we've been out of town for a couple of months & when we got back we've called his office to get an appointment for the 5th time & so far no one in his office has pick up the phone & we had to listen to a recorded message to leave a short message, IT'S NEVER BEEN ANSWERED, YET! You would think the TV hospital would have a heart unit to do surgeries, but if you have a heart attack or something worse, the only thing they can do is stabilize you & send you to another hospital. I know because I went to TV hospital for a very non life threatening heart issue, they didn't treat my issue & I was charged $3, 600. & when the CEO was approached by us she agree that I was treated like I should of been, so she tore up my bill. Don't take me wrong I'm sure they treat other things very well & are a very good hospital. Yes, they wanted me to pay cash for their $3,600. non treatment, no INS. would be accepted. Sorry just my opinion!

I have not experienced any problems yet.
I am wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a good board certified Dermatologist

I am a retired RN from up north. I worked for a very busy doctor who was also the head of a huge department within a University Hospital. His office was in the hospital itself. He told his staff that his patients' time was just as important as his own and that if his patients had to wait more than 15 minutes, we were to step into the waiting room and explain the delay. If he was called to the floor or to the ER for one of his patients, we were to give the waiting patients an option of waiting or rescheduling. He asked his secretaries to put those patients who were rescheduling in, even if it meant we stayed late or came in early to accommodate them. The issue I have here in Florida is that the patients are left to sit without any explanation. I would think that a good office manager would say something to those waiting to explain the delay, i.e. "Doctor was held up with a very sick patient and we're running 15 (20, 30) minutes late". Patients should always be given the option of rescheduling if they have other obligations. If we were the sick patient, we would expect our doctor's attention as well.

Dr. Andrew Conti-Primary care physician-one of the best!